Benson Gets LT Start for Mahomes' Return vs. Broncos — SkimNews
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- Josh Simmons has been ruled out for Monday's season opener against the Denver Broncos with a lower back injury that has sidelined him for more than three weeks; he was the Chiefs' 2025 first-round pick.
- Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie right tackle from Indiana, is expected to start at left tackle — the first undrafted offensive player to start a Week 1 game for Andy Reid since he became Chiefs head coach in 2013.
- Patrick Mahomes will return Monday after a nine-month recovery from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, an injury sustained Dec. 14, 2025; he told reporters Thursday he expects to play without limitations.
- Reid praised Benson on Thursday, saying the Chiefs wouldn't put him in if they didn't have confidence in his ability and urging the rookie to 'go out and play and just use his abilities.'
- Jaylon Moore, a five-year veteran with prior left tackle experience, is expected to start at right tackle, shuffling the line to protect Mahomes' blind side.
- The Broncos are projected to field one of the NFL's best defenses, a unit led by pass rusher Nik Bonitto and cornerback Pat Surtain II.
Why it matters: An undrafted rookie will protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side Monday against Denver's Nik Bonitto-led pass rush, on Mahomes' first snap in nine months following a torn ACL and LCL. The Chiefs' Week 1 lineup now pairs the team's most important player returning from major knee surgery with a first-year tackle against a defense projected among the league's best.
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